Holidays – Page 3 – A Walk With The Mouse

One Disney Park Will Not Be Allowing UK Travelers in This Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2021December 20, 2021 by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Millions of people travel during the holidays. Whether they travel by car, bus, train, or plane, it seems that everyone is going somewhere to celebrate and everyone has their plans set, and for tens of thousands of people, those plans include a visit to a Disney Park. Unfortunately, for some people who were planning on visiting Disneyland Paris this Christmas, they will have to make other arrangements.

Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, France has shut down its borders to those traveling from the United Kingdom — which includes Guests from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland — unless there is a “compelling reason” to enter the country. That means that any Guests from the UK who were planning on visiting Disneyland Paris this Christmas or New Year’s will have to change their plans.

Per a report from CNN:

According to the French government, a compelling reason to travel could include working in the health or research sector, being a top-tier athlete, being an exchange student, or traveling due to the the death or grave illness of a relative.Vacation or work-related travel is banned. French and EU nationals, as well as residents in France, are exempt from the new rule.However, all those traveling from the UK to France, whether they’re vaccinated or non-vaccinated, must also show a negative PCR or lateral flow test taken within 24 hours.The travelers must also quarantine upon arrival in France for 48 hours, as they await a negative PCR test result. Travelers will have to register their place of isolation on a digital platform.The prime minister’s office said that checks will be carried out by French authorities to enforce quarantines.UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps confirmed via Twitter that hauliers traveling across the Channel will remain exempt from these new rules.

Omicron is the newest variant taking hold in the world’s fight against COVID-19. While studies have shown that it appears to be less severe amongst those who are vaccinated, it is still highly contagious. Omicron is spreading as the world still struggles to get a handle on the Delta variant that became the main variant of the virus earlier this year.

Disney Shares Ten Amazing Cookie Recipes

Posted on December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks

Who doesn’t love cookies? Only one thing could be better than cookies, cookies at Disney! That’s why we’re so excited that Disney Parks has shared ten amazing Disney Parks cookie recipes that we can’t wait to make at home!

From a Disney Cast Member;

Is there anything better than taking that first heavenly bite of a warm cookie as the smell of freshly baked cookies still lingers in the air? I think not.

No wonder there is a day dedicated to celebrating these delicious morsels of goodness.

We asked our Disney chefs from around the world to send us their favorite cookie recipe so you can bake some Disney magic at home for National Cookie Day. But feel free to celebrate National Cookie Day every day – I do!

Click the link below each photo for the downloadable recipe. Happy baking!

Mickey Chocolate Chip Cookies from Disneyland Paris – Our Disneyland Paris pastry chefs have created these delicious chocolate chip cookies and fancied them up with pecans, dried fruit, and a dark chocolate drizzle. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Belle’s Enchanted Christmas Tree from Magic Kingdom Park – This festive stack of almond macarons, cranberry buttercream, and cranberry-orange white chocolate ganache is sure to “wow” family and friends. A bit of work but worth it! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Gingerbread Cookies from Shanghai Disneyland Resort – Leave it to our Shanghai Disneyland pastry chefs to take a simple gingerbread cookie mix to the next level. Kiddos love decorating these traditional holiday cookies, well, adults too! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Shortbread Cookies from Disneyland Resort – A classic. Simple and delicious. What’s not to love? Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies from Disney’s Contemporary Resort Bakery – Using whole wheat flour adds a slightly nutty flavor that sets these cookies apart from the classic chocolate chip version. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Molasses Crackle Cookies from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Bakery – With rich flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, these deliciously chewy molasses cookies are sure to become a family favorite. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Spaceship Earth Cookies with Salted Caramel Ganache from Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays – The EPCOT pastry chefs had me at “salted caramel ganache.” This recipe is a baking commitment in the kitchen, but you will not regret it – promise! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Num Num Cookies from Disney’s Hollywood Studios – The ultimate in the classic chocolate chip cookie game. Jack-Jack loves these over-the-top chocolate chip cookies and you will too. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Butter Cookies from Hong Kong Disneyland Resort – You may not be able to decorate like our talented Hong Kong Disneyland pastry chefs, but these butter cookies are delicious alone or simply decorated with royal icing. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – Ice cream sandwiched between soft delicious autumnal cookies? Yes, please! Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

Family Time this Holiday Season with a Kidcot Fun Stop Activity and New Recipe

Posted on December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks

Looking for a fun holiday activity for the family? Disney has released a Kidcot holiday coloring sheet and family-friendly recipe!

With the holidays approaching, I wanted to share some stay-at-home fun activities that will be perfect for any family get-together!

For starters, you may know that at EPCOT, kids are invited to join Mickey and friends on an adventure around World Showcase. Each of the countries has a Kidcot Fun Stop presented by Ziploc Brand, a place where kids can collect a special traveler’s card that features a special fact about that country and a corresponding coloring sheet.

Today, we are bringing one of our favorite Kidcot Fun Stops right into your home!

Did you know that in Germany, if you want to find a bakery, you just have to look for a pretzel hanging above the shop door – the emblem of the bakers guild? From the looks of this coloring activity, it looks like Chip & Dale have found their new favorite treat that is famous in Germany – you guessed it, a pretzel!

Click here to download this Kidcot Fun Stop coloring activity to finish at home!

Speaking of bakeries, we also have a special treat you can make at home!

From the pastry chefs over at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, this recipe is one of my favorites for two reasons – it’s EASY to make, and it combines two of my favorite things – chocolate and peanut butter!

If you have been following our #DisneyMagicMoments recipes, you know that Ava, a 13-year-old junior chef and daughter of Disney photographer Matt Stroshane, has been making “how-to” videos for some of these recipes in her home kitchen with the help of her personal sous chefs (mom and dad) and official taste tester (her 11-year-old brother, Adam). Check out the recipe and Ava’s video below.

No-Bake Granola Treats from Disney’s Contemporary Resort Bakery
Makes 12 (2×2-inch) treats

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 cups granola
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt marshmallows and butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add peanut butter, stirring to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in granola.
Spoon mixture into 8×8-inch baking dish. Lightly press mixture into pan.
Sprinkle top of mixture with chocolate chips, lightly pressing the chocolate chips into mixture.
Set aside at room temperature to cool for 30 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces.
Store treats in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cook’s Note: This recipe can easily be doubled if you like thicker treats!

Note: Always use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents. Please supervise children who are helping or nearby. This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version.

Disney World Releases More Holiday Treats!

Posted on December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

The holidays have arrived at Walt Disney World Resort, and it is officially the merriest time of the year. Guests can visit all the Parks and see beautiful trees and decorations, and taste a ton of different and delicious treats made especially for this holiday season. While a large amount of the holiday food offerings can be found at EPCOT for its International Festival of Holidays, there are so many other great offerings that Guests can experience at the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom Park.

The holidays at Walt Disney World officially started on November 12 and that’s when a majority of the new holiday food came out, except for Festival of Holidays sweets and treats, which did not begin until November 26. However, Disney has now revealed even more Christmas-themed eats that have come to the Resort, but not all of them will be available for the entirety of the holiday season.

Let’s take a look at Disney’s newest festive foods!

Animal Kingdom

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Mousse

The white chocolate peppermint cream cheese mousse will only be available from December 20 – 27 and can be found at Satu’li Canteen at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. The white chocolate peppermint cream cheese mousse will come with a peppermint sauce and cookie crumbles. This dessert will be around for only one week, so make sure to grab yours while they last!

Magic Kingdom

Black Forest Cheesecake

This mouthwatering new treat can be found at Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland — right by “it’s a small world” — at Magic Kingdom Park and will be offered through January 9. This decadent dessert is made of chocolate cheesecake, topped with cherry compote, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a white chocolate coin that is inspired by the “it’s a small world” attraction. Guests can even enjoy this new offering while sitting in the Village Haus and watching the “it’s a small world” boats sail below them.

Water Parks

Right now, Blizzard Beach is the only water park that is open at Walt Disney World. However, it is possible that Disney is planning on opening Typhoon Lagoon this holiday season since they are indicating that the following desserts will be available at the water parks, and they are not specifying Blizzard Beach.

Orange Bird Holiday Citrus Swirl

This fun snack featuring Disney’s iconic Orange Bird will be available from December 12 until January 7 and can be found at the Warming Hut. The ice cream treat will be an orange and lime swirl served in a waffle cone. It will be adorned with a white chocolate Orange Bird wearing a Santa hat.

Merry Merry Melon

This new drink will also be available from December 12 until January 7 and will be found at Frostbite Freddie’s, but it will only be available for the 21 and over crowd. The drink will feature a melon and apple-flavored frozen rum cocktail and will be served with a red sugar rim and topped with a cherry.

Peppermint Milkshake

Just like the Orange Bird Holiday Citrus Swirl and the Merry Merry Melon, the Peppermint Milkshake will be available for purchase from December 12 until January 7. This peppermint-flavored milkshake will be served with white chocolate whipped cream and holiday sprinkles. This refreshing minty drink can be found at Lottawatta Lodge.

“it’s a small world” Floods, Holiday Opening Delayed

Posted on November 12, 2021November 12, 2021 by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

From mid-November through early January, the holidays take over Disney Parks. Specialty food is available, fun merchandise is for sale, decorations are hung by the castles with care, and festive parades and fireworks shows entertain Guests daily. There are even some attractions that receive holiday overlays — at Walt Disney World, the world-famous Jungle Cruise becomes the Jingle Cruise and at Disneyland Resort, “it’s a small world” becomes “it’s a small world” Holiday, celebrating holiday traditions from around the world.

The holiday season at Disneyland Resort is set to kick off on Friday, November 12, and “it’s a small world” Holiday was also scheduled to open at that time. The attraction is closed for approximately two to three weeks beforehand as Disney Cast Members transform the ride into a colorful holiday experience. Unfortunately, Disney has had to delay the ride’s opening due to some flooding that took place while the Park was closed.

According to a report from The Orange County Register:

Flooding that occurred during the process of refilling the flume on It’s a Small World will delay the reopening of the classic boat ride as Disneyland prepares to kick off the winter holiday season and launch the new Merriest Nites after hours event.
It’s a Small World experienced some flooding that affected machinery used to operate the attraction during the early morning hours on Wednesday, Nov. 10 while Disneyland was closed to the public, according to Disneyland officials.
Disneyland realizes the closure of It’s a Small World is disappointing for guests who look forward to this holiday tradition and has teams working around the clock to get the attraction open as soon as possible, according to Disneyland officials.

Here is more information on “it’s a small world” Holiday from the Disneyland Resort website:

Set sail along a wondrous wintry waterway transformed with whimsical décor. Behold jubilant regional adornments all along your world tour of good cheer. Listen as the costumed chorus of children sings the classic “It’s a Small World (After All)” song and traditional holiday tunes.
The enchantment begins as you approach the iconic façade, which is adorned with thousands of shimmering lights for the season.

While no reopening date has been announced for “it’s a small world” Holiday at this time, Disney may still decide to use the building facade for projections for its Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks as it has done in the past.